It is conventional to provide food and beverage containers which are formed of metal and include a metal end panel usually double seamed to a tubular can body and having a score line, or line of weakening, formed in the end panel to define a removable panel portion in order to gain access to or dispense the product from the container. It is also conventional to affix a pull tab to the removable panel portion to afford the user with sufficient leverage to displace the panel either partially or completely from the remainder of the end panel. Devices of the type referred to are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,415, 3,972,445 and 4,802,603.
Further, it is also known to provide so-called easy-open container closures which are molded from plastic material such as shown, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,699,290 and 4,741,450, or container closures which are formed from a combination of metal and plastic such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,218.